Infusion packet

ABSTRACT

AN INFUSION PACKET HAVING TWO OPPOSITELY DISPOSED, RIGIDLY SEPARATED POCKETS OF TEA OR THE LIKE JOINED TOGETHER BY TWO TAPERING END PORTIONS WHICH FORM A NARROW, TRIANGULAR SHAPED POROUS CUP.

Aug. 3, 1971 T- .1. KALEMBA INFUSION PACKET Filed March 22, 1968 [NYE '1U5: Thaddeus J Ka/emba United States Patent 3,597,222 INFUSION PACKETThaddeus John Kalemba, 1336 River Ave., Point Pleasant, NJ. 08742 FiledMar. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 715,375 Int. Cl. A23f 3/00 US. Cl. 9977.1 8Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An infusion packet having twooppositely disposed, rigidly separated pockets of tea or the like joinedtogether by two tapering end portions which form a narrow, triangularshaped porous cup.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This inventionrelates to dual pack tea bags wherein the total amount of tea allotedfor each bag is separated into two parts to afford greater contact withboiling water, faster diffusion and enhanced flavor.

(2) Description of the prior art Conventional tea bags are usuallyrectangular packets made from a single piece of paper folded in half andcrimped along three edges. Or a single strip of paper is folded twicelongitudinally to form an inner centrally disposed double fold joiningthe two meeting edges. A triple transverse fold intermediate the lengthof the folded strip forms two pockets which are partially filled withtea be fore the open ends thereof are folded over and stapled to asingle strand of string. The latter is so-called flothru-tea bag, but inpractice the pockets do not tend to deflect away from each other whendipped into water as claimed.

These known embodiments have the disadvantage of retaining about anounce and a half of liquid in the bag after the desired strength isattained and the bag removed from the water. This represents waste inmost instances and especially when only one cup of medium strength teais desired. It is difficult to remove conventional bags from a cup ortea pot without dripping the solution and staining a tablecloth, etc.The unused tea remaining in the bag is usually discarded because topress these bags with a spoon against the cup would result in a beverageof excessive strength and color. On the other hand, if the bag is reusedat a later time it is likely to have lost its initial flavor and aroma.These rectangularly shaped bags rely upon the weight of water absorptionafter several dunkings of their flat bottom edges before full immersionis possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention an improvedinfusion packet comprises a pointed dive or sinker type body having twooppositely disposed triangular pockets, rigidly held apart by twoconnecting end pieces to form a four sided, open, porous cup whichreadily dives to the bottom of the teacup or tea pot and scoops up afull measure of hot water within its confines when lifted by itsattached double string. After submerging, the tea leaves immediatelyexpand to fill each pocket. Due to its unique construction, all flavor,color and liquid is extracted from the pointed tip of the packet in thefirst cup of water. By fully utilizing all of the tea deposited in eachpocket, the amount of tea in these packets can be reduced to eliminatewaste and afford greater economy to the consumer.

ice

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent in the following detail description and theaccompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an applied plastic outline printed on a stripof filter paper designating the confines of the bottom layer of thepacket;

FIG. 2 is a subsequent plan view of a top hourglass shaped layer of thethe packet superimposed over a bottom layer with a portion of tea leavesdeposited in between said layers;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the elements shown in FIG. 2 afterthe two layers of paper are joined, by heat sealing their matchingthermoplastic edges together and folded at the middle thereof to form aclosed two pocket triangular tea packet;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the assembled packet showing themanner in which the dual length of string is attached to both sides ofthe closed packet and to opposite ends of the tab to aid in keeping thesides separated; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the packet showing the manner in whichthe straight plastic edges of FIG. 1 are fused together to form theconnecting ends joining the twin triangular tea pockets of an immersibleporous cup.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a strip of filter paper 10upon which has been imprinted, a thermoplastic outline 11 of the basicconfiguration of the bottom 12, 12' and/or top 13, 13' layer of a teabag 14. It will be seen that the plastic outline consists of two arcuatetop edges 15, 15' and four angular, longitudinal edges or legs 16, 16'.

FIG. 2 shows the top layer 13, 13' superimposed over the bottom layerand two portions of tea 17 deposited on the latter, after said layershave been stamped from strip 10.

The superimposed plastic edges 11 of both layers are then heat sealed atapproximately 30 O-500 F. and the packet folded at its mid section 18,see FIG. 3. Match ing plastic edges 16, 16 are then sealed to form twosubstantially rigid triangular ends 19, 19 connecting separated teapockets 20, 20'. i

A length of string 21 is then stapled at the center of both edges 15,15' to the outer surface thereof as at 22, 22. These staples act asguides through which the string is free to move in either direction andthus restrict tearing of the packet. A third staple through the pointedtip anchors the string to the packet as at 23. The ends of the stringare joined and attached in any conventional way as by stapling or beingadhered to the outer edges of a one or two ply tab 24, etc., as shown inFIG. 4.

The spread of the dual strands of string cooperates with the rigid ends19, 19' to restore and/ or retain the tea pockets 20, 20 to theiroriginal mutually spaced position from a possible more flattenedcondition imposed by packaging, etc. The convex shape of edges 15, 15also act to retain the separation of the pockets.

The pointed tip advantageously causes the cupped packet to dive easilyinto a container of boiling water and also affords a central point forfast drainage. However, if desired, a spoon may be placed in the middleof the porous cup with one hand and pressed downwardly against thesupport of the string held by the other hand to remove the last vestigeof water in the tea leaves.

The printed thermoplastic forming the borders of the cutout layers istasteless and remains intact at water boiling temperature of 212 F. Italso provides a convenient insulated area for grasping the packet in theevent one should desired to squeeze it with the fingers.

The forms of the invention here described and illustrated are presentedmerely as examples of how the invention may be embodied and applied.Other forms, embodiments and applications of the invention, comingwithin the proper scope of the appended claims, will of course suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A sinker type infusion packet comprising two separate triangularshaped side portions forming porous pockets tea disposed in each of saidpockets, two triangular rigid end portions, said end portions disposedat right angles to said side portions along the longitudinal lengththereof to mutually separate said side portions and form an open pointedcup having two dripless porous pockets of tea.

2. An infusion packet according to claim 1, wherein two foldedsuperimposed paper cutouts form said triangular shaped pockets.

3. An fusion packet according to claim 2, wherein each of said cutoutsis of hourglass configuration forming two oppositely disposedtriangularly shaped tea pockets having a common pointed end.

4. An infusion packet according to claim 2, wherein each of said pocketscomprise two superimposed triangular cutouts, printed plastic bordersdisposed along both longitudinal edges of each of said cutouts andacross the top thereof, said plastic borders sealing said superimposedcutouts together to form two sealed porous pockets of tea.

5. An infusion packet according to claim 4, wherein the sealed edges ofsaid pockets form inwardly directed flanges and the flanges of one ofsaid pockets overlap the flanges of the other of said pockets to formsaid rigid triangular end portions joining said pockets in mutuallyspaced relationship.

6. An infusion packet according to claim 1, wherein said side portionsare provided with an upper, substantially rigid, insulated border, guidemeans disposed centrally of said borders, a hold tab and dual stringmeans, said string means threaded through said guide means and attachedto opposite ends of said tab.

7. An infusion packet according to claim 6, wherein said upper bordersare of convex configuration which c0- operate with said dual stringmeans and said rigid end portions to maintain separation of saidpockets.

8. An infusion packet according to claim 6, wherein said side and endportions taper downwardly to form a pointed tip of said cup, and anchormeans disposed through said pointed tip, said string means extendingdownwardly from one end of said tab through a first of said guide meansto said anchor means and upwardly through a second of said guide meansto the other end of said tab.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,874 11/1910 Korn et al.99'77.1 2,922,717 1/1960 Whelan 9977.1 Re. 22,490 5/1944 RarnbOld 9977.12,307,998 1/1943 Eaton 99--77.1 2,334,156 11/1943 Hansen 9977.12,359,292 10/1944 Barnett 99-77.1 2,466,281 4/1949 Shaw 9977.1 3,092,4396/1963 Harrison 9977.1

TIM R. MILES, Primary Examiner S. H. MARKOWITZ, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 99295

